Depends what you mean by 'short term'?, I don't believe negotiation is the problem, it's money changing hands that is the problem - a big bunch of fivers could change hands tomorrow, and more FTA channels appear on 2D

At least the option is there, DTT is limited, not only be the bandwidth been sold off, but by the thousands of transmitters needed across the country. There's already an 'us and them' system in place, with only a small number of transmitters giving a full service.


Not OFCOM, they are under orders to sell the bandwidth off to raise money for the government, which after all is the sole reason for DTT and DSO in the first place.


The actual life of satellites is governed by the fuel they carry, and careful use of the fuel means most considerably exceed their minmum expected life.

Astra/SES launch replacement satellites in plenty of time to take over from the old ones, the only concern is the narrow beam transponders on 2D, will they order a replacement with similar narrow beams?.

As 28.2E is a UK specific slot, it would make sense for all replacement birds to be narrow beam, but I'm doubtful that they would do that?.

Fair comment about 2D. You know more about it than me from the sound of it.

Hmmm. What would happen to UK FTA then?

If they were all narrow beam then any bird could carry fta

HD is coming to _major_ transmitters (only) _before_ analogue switch off. (the ones with 6 multiplex, not those which will get only 3 at the end).

Planned to commence with Winter Hill (North West) in December this year, and the balance done before completion of DSO/2012 Olympics.

Looks set to be three HD channels in 24.1mb, so hopefully newish coders, software developement, and the benefits of H264 will give the kind of results you'd expect of HD.
(still seems a bit of a squeeze to me though).

Oh yes, nearly forgot, somebody needs to market suitable receivers too...

Except that it was not meant to compete with Freeview either - it's an alternative, initially for those who cannot receive a good Freeview signal, but also to give people an alternative coming up to DSO, in order to give those that have yet to convert another reason to do so.

And yes, it was not set up to compete with Sky either.


Freesat has a healthy future, despite those who compare it to Betamax. It can run alongside Freeview, and alongside other satellite services.

It will still have less of a constraint than Freeview (which was the point really).

As far as I'm aware, HD is coming to ALL Freeview transmitters, relays will have two SD multiplexes, and one HD multiplex.

And if I understand correctly those on 'freeview lite' may find themselves on 'freeview extra lite' whereby they may loose channels they currently receive.

deleted double post not my fault

TBH might actually do everyone a favour. If there were no narrowband transmitters they'd have no choice but to allow transmission on wideband transmitters. Encryption is not an option as Freesat doesn't support it.

They could withhold programmes but I doubt it would make economic sense.